Fluid storage apparatus



Jan 17, 1950 J. H. WIGGINS FLUID STORAGE APPARATUS 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 26, 1945 FIG.

INVENTOR. JOHN H. W/GG/NS ATTORNEY Jan. H7, i950 J. H. wlGGlNs 2,494,601

FLUID STORAGE APPARATUS Filed Jan. 26, A1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TTORNEY Patented Jan. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID STORAGE APPARATUS John H. Wiggins, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 2.6, 1945, Serial No. 574,677

This invention relates to gas holders and iluid storage apparatus of the general type or kind that comprise a container, a vertically-movable piston in said container which forms either the top wall or the bottom wall of the storage chamber of the apparatus, and a dry seal for sealing or closing the annular space between said side wall and the peripheral edge of the piston, said dry seal consisting of a flexible, curtain-like sealing means arranged between the piston and the side wall of the container and constructed so as to collapse and extend with the movement of the piston.

'Ihe main object of my invention is to provide a dry seal, piston-type gas holder or fluid storage apparatus, that is equipped with a mechanism of novel construction for effectively absorbing pressures exerted on the flexible, curtain-like sealing means between the piston and the side wall of the container, and for causing said sealing means to assume an approximately -predetermined shape or form during the rise and fall of the piston.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the kind just described, in which the above-mentioned novel mechanism that is used to assist in controlling the shape or form of said ilexible piston sealing means and for absorbing forces or pressures exerted on same, is of such construction that it does not increase the diameter of the side wall of the container, and adds relatively little to the overall height of said side wall. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a gas holder embodying my present invention, showing the piston at the end of its upward stroke;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, showing the piston at the end of its downward stroke; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View, showing the piston in an intermediate position.

I have herein illustrated my invention applied to or embodied in a gas holder of the kind that comprises a container, a vertically-movable piston in said container which forms the top wall of the storage chamber of the apparatus, a weather roof arranged above the piston and attached to the upper end of the side wall of the container, and a vertically-disposed, tubular member at the center of the container which projects upwardly through an opening in the piston, so as to serve as a center support for the roof and as a housing for the vertically-movable weight of a counterweighting mechanism. I wish it to be understood, however, that my invention is not limited to use with a gas holder of the particular kind just described, but on the contrary, is applicable to various kinds of uid storage apparatus that comprise a vertically-movable piston and a exible, curtain-like sealing means for the piston.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of my invention, A designates the vertically-movable piston of the apparatus, B designates the lower portion of the side wall of the container which constitutes the storage chamber of the apparatus, C designates the piston sealing means herein illustrated as consisting of a ilexible, curtain-like element constructed of gas-tight fabric or an equivalent flexible material, I designates a pipe through which the medium being stored is admitted to the storage chamber, 2 designates the bottom of the storage chamber, B designates the -upper portion of the side wall of the container which constitutes a stationary back stop that limits outward flexing or movement of the piston sealing means during the rise and fall of the piston, E designates a weather roof arranged above the piston and attached at its peripheral edge to the top edge of the upper -portion B' of the side wall of the container, 5 designates one or more vents on the roof E that vent the space between said roof and the top side of the piston A, and F designates a verticallydisposed, tubular member at the center of the container that projects upwardly through an opening in the piston, so as to form a center support for the roof and a housing for the vertically-movable weight H of a counterweighting mechanism, the above-mentioned tubular roof support F being herein illustrated as terminating at a point slightly above the upper limit of travel of the piston A and provided with upwardlyprojecting posts 3 which form extensions at the upper end of the tubular member F that are attached to the roof. The lower portion of the side wall of the container which constitutes the previously mentioned side wall B of the storage chamber must be gas-tight. As shown in the drawings, the flexible sealing means C, previously mentioned, has one of its edges attached to the peripheral edge of the piston A, andthe other edge of said sealing element C is attached to the side wall of the container of the apparatus at a point substantially mid-way the two extreme positions of the piston. Thus, as shown in the drawings, the reference character X designates the point at which the piston sealing element C is attached to the upper end of the side wall B of the storage chamber, said piston Sealing element C being made of such shape and proportions that when the piston is at the end of its downward stroke, as shown in Figure 2, the piston A will be in engagement or approximate engagement with the botttom 2 of the storage chamber, and when the piston is vat the end of its upward stroke, as shown in Figure l, the height of the storage chamber will be approximately twice the height or depth of the side wall B of the storage chamber. The joint or space between the piston and the tubular roof support F at the center of the apparatus is protected and made gas-tight by a sealing device C', constructed of gas-tight'fabric or other suitable flexible material. The parts of the apparatus above described may be` of conventional construction, or of any preferred construction, as they form no part of my present invention.

My invention consists in equipping an apparatus'of the general type or kind referred to, with a back stop or reinforcing structure for the piston sealing means, mounted so as to be capable of moving vertically relatively to the side wall of the container and kcomprising at least two annular members of different diameters disposed so that said members are capable of assuming ya telescop'ed condition or relationship and are Valso capable of relative vertical movement, whereby the 'area or position ofthe parts of said reinforcing structure contacted bythe piston sealing means, will change 'during the cycle of operations of the piston. Depending upon the variable factors of the vapparatus with which my invention is used, suchas the pressure to be carried'in the storage chamber, the length and circumferential area of the flexible curtain-like piston sealing means. and whether the stored medium is above or .below the piston, the previously mentioned co-acting annular members of the reinforcing structure can be arranged in various ways rela-- tively to each other and with relation to thepiston. In Athe apparatus herein shown vin lwhich the piston constitutes the top wall 'of` the storage chamberand is arranged 'at the end of its Vupward stroke when thestorage chamber is of maximum volume, the reinforcing structure for Ythe pistonv sealing means is disposed above the piston and is in a contracted 4condition when the storage chamber is full or of maximum volume. At this time the previously mentioned vannular.members of 'the rein-forcing structure are in .telescoped relationship. During the downward-stroke of the piston said reinforcing Vstructureelongates or `eX- tends, .therebyfcausinglthe above-mentioned annular/,members of thereinforcing structure to be arranged in widely spacedfrelationshiowherein theyfco-'actw'ith each other 'to form a back stop of ample area Ato prevent inward flexing of the piston sealing means, 'assist in causing said piston sealing means to .assume an approximate predetermined shape 'or form, and effectively absorb forces exerted on said sealing meansby the medium in the storage chamber.

lIn the drawings, the reference character G designates as an entirety the above-mentioned vertically-movable back stop onreinforcingstructure for theipiston sealing means C. Said reinforcing structure comprises at least two annular compression members D and .of different diameters-that are disposed in spacedr relationship at the opposite ends of 'said structure, when the piston A is at the end of its downward stroke, as shown in Figure 2, and disposed in telescoped relationship, as shown in Figure 1, when the piston is at the end of its upward stroke. Preferably, the annular member D is formed by a cylindrical shell attached to the peripheral portion oi the piston and projecting upwardly above the point at which the sealing means C is attached to the edge of thepiston, and the co-acting annular member-"v8 is alsojpreferablyforrned by a cylindrical shell, which is mounted in such a way that it will remain at rest during part of the stroke of the piston and will move with the piston and .at "the sameJspeed as the piston, during a portion of .thestroke of the piston. In order to impart `suiicien't stiffness to said `annular members D and-3 toenable them to retain their original shape and .form and effectively absorb forces or pressures exerted on the piston sealing means C by the medium conned in the storage chamber, a ring-shaped' compression feiementf lis attached to the-top edge of the shell which constitutes `the annular cmember`D carried .by the piston, and similar ring-shaped compression elements .S6 `are attached to the ktop and bottom `edges 'of the annular member'.

Said annular members Dfand `8 .are 'combined with each other in such a *way ithat when the piston starts to move'downwardly '.fromzits extreme upper position -shown incFigure 1 the annular -member will temporarily remain at rest and the annular member D will move downwardly with the piston at the same speed as the piston, but when the'piston reaches such a point inlits downward travel 'thatlthe reinforcing "structure is in a Afully extended condition, -as 4shown inxFigureBy-said reinforcing structureyas an entirety, will m'ove'bodilywith 'the piston during the remainder of Vthe' downward travel of the piston inte its extremelowermost position, shown in'Figure'Z. In the 'particular embodiment ofiinvention herein illustrated, the above-.mentioned vertically-movable backing and reinforcing structure, in addition "to comprising annular-'shaped Send portions-` 8 andD, also lcomprises ascollapsible intermediate portionattached-to .said 1endportions and-constructed in such a way that 'it'.will not interfere 'with the telescopic action of 'said `annuiar end portions. 'Said collapsible intermediate portion is herein illustrated :as being vcomposed of a ring-shaped compression element I6 attached byexible links-'1 to the bottom edge of the annular top member@ and to the 'top edge of the annular bottom member D, said intermediate ringshaped compression element '5 being .of smailer diameter ythan the annular member D on thepiston, so that -it will be lcapable of assuming a position inside of the memberD when the piston is at the end of its upwardstroke :and thefannular members -8 andi) are in telescoped relationship, as shown in Figure 1.

As previously intimated, my invention :contemplatesmounting or arranging the co-ac'ting "annular members 8 and D in various ways,rsol1cng as said members are capable of assuming a telescoped relationship so asto reduce the combined height or depthof -said two members, and so long as the annular member 8 is capable of remaining at restv during a portion of the-stroke 'of lthe piston and will'move with vthepiston during a portion vof the stroke of the piston. In the particular 'form of my invention herein illustrated the `annular member 3 is suspended from the underside of the 'roof E of the container by a counterweight- 'I5 ing mechanism which prevents #the reinforcing structure from exerting a weight or load on the pistonwhen the piston starts to move upwardly from its extreme lowermost position and during the major portion of the upward travel of the piston. Said counterweighting mechanism is herein illustrated as comprising a plurality of cables` l2 attached Vto the annular member 8 and leading upwardly from same, over overhead pulleys 9 located directly above the member 8, thence inwardly from the pulleys 9 to pulleys I0 located in approximately vertical alignment with the center roof support F, and thence downwardly from the pulleys l0 to the previously mentioned counterweight H, which is housed in the tubular roof support F. Instead of attaching all of the cables l 2 to a single counterweight, as shown in Figure l, the cables leading upwardly from the top annular'member 8 of the reinforcing structure: may pass through stuiiing boxes in the roof 'of the container and then. extend to individual counterweights arranged 0n the exterior of the container.

If gases are admitted to the storage chamber of the apparatus through pipe l when the piston A is in its lowermost position shown in Figure 2,

said piston will start to rise when the pressure created by said gases equals the weight of the piston, less the net upward pull exerted on the piston by the cables I2, assuming that the counterweight H weighs more than the weight of the co-acting parts of the vertically-movable backing and reinforcing structure previously described. If the total weight of said reinforcing structure is, say, 2000 pounds and the weight of the counterweight H is, say, 2,500 pounds, the reinforcing structure will be pulling up on the piston with I a net pull of approximately 500 pounds, as the piston moves upwardly. At this time the reinforcing structure is in its fully extended condition, and it moves upwardly with the piston at the same speed as the piston. During the upward travel of the piston the flexible, curtainlike sealing means C will be progressively peeled oi the co-acting annular members 8 and D of the reinforcing structure and applied to or laid upon the upper portion B of the side wall of the container, the above-described procedure continuing until the top edge of the annular member 8 comes to rest in close proximity to the roof E of the container, as shown in Figure 3. Then the bodily upward movement of the reinforcing structure ceases, and thereafter, during the remainder of the upward travel of the piston, the annular member D moves upwardly with the piston until it finally comes into telescoped relationship with the annular member 8, as shown in Figure l. Thus, it will be seen that in my improved vertically-movable backing and reinforcing structure, the two annular members 8 and D which were previously disposed in different horizontal planes or zones, as shown in Figure 2, are moved into telescoped relationship with each other, as shown in Figure 1, by the upward movement of the piston. The piston iinally comes into contact with stops (not shown) that limit the upward travel of the piston. When the piston moves downwardly from its extreme elevated position shown in Figure 1, the reinforcing structure progressively elongates or extends and assumes such a shape or condition that it will prevent inward flexing of the piston sealing means C and absorb forces or pressures which the medium in the storage chamber exerts on the piston sealing means C.

Notwithstanding the fact that said verticallymovable backing and reinforcing structure is arranged above the piston, said structure does not necessitate' thefuse of an abnormally high containerlside wall within which the piston will opcrate, due to thefact that said reinforcing structure is constructed so that it will contract into a compact structure, which, at all times, lies within the side wallof thecontainer between the piston and the roof of the container, when the storage chamber is full and the piston is at the end of its upward stroke.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the vertically-movable Vbacking and reinforcing structure is in its contracted condition, the overalldepth or height of same is no greater than `the height or depth of the annular backing memberD on the piston. This is highly desirable, becausethe reinforcing structure only slightly increases. theheight of the side wall of the container, thereby effecting a considerable saving-in the cost of fabricating the container and making its unnecessary to use a complicated and expensive means for strengthening the container side wall,` so that it will successfully withstand great wind pressures, as would be necessary if the top and bottom portions of the reinforcing structure for-the piston sealing means were not constructed so as to be capable of assuming a telescoped relationship, as previously described.

I claim:

1. A uid storage apparatus, comprising a container having a side wall, a vertically-movable piston in said container, a flexible, curtain-like sealing means between said piston and side wall, attached to said side wall and piston, said flexible sealing means collapsing and extending with the movement of said piston and being adapted to bear against the container side wall during the cycle of operations of the piston and a verticallymovable backing and reinforcing structure located above the said eXible sealing means for preventing said sealing means from moving into the path of travel of the piston, comprising a plurality of annular members of different diameter which are disposed in telescoped relationship during the cycle of operations of the piston, one of said annular members being rigidly attached to the piston so as to move with same throughout the entire stroke of the piston.

2. A uid storage apparatus, comprising a container having a side wall, a vertically-movable piston in said container, a flexible, curtain-like sealing means arranged between said piston and side wall, said sealing means collapsing and extending with the movement of the piston, and a reinforcing structure for absorbing forces exerted on the sealing means by the medium in the storage chamber of the apparatus, comprising at least two concentrically-arranged, annular members of different diameters, mounted so that one of said members which is rigidly attached to the piston moves with the piston during the entire stroke of the piston and the co-acting annular member remains stationary with respect to the side Wall of the container during a portion of the stroke of the piston and moves with the piston during the remainder of the stroke of the piston.

3. A uid storage apparatus, comprising a container having a side Wall, a vertically-movable piston in said container, a flexible, curtain-like sealing means arranged between the piston and the side wall of the container, said sealing means collapsing and extending with the movement of the piston, an annular reinforcing member of rigid construction rigidly attached to the piston, a second annular reinforcing member of different diameter from the reinforcing member ammo-1 onthepiston, adapted to cot-.act withsameztoorm an extensible andfcontractible:backingfanderein- `.forcing V'structure for the vpiston -sealingmeans, .andmeans for causing isa-id second annular memberto be :disposed in Vspaced relationship with 4the .annular member on thepiston duringawportion -ofthe-stroke of the piston-and to be ar-ranged in telescoped relation with the :annular member-von the piston during a portion of :the-stroke lof the piston.

v4. An apparatus of the kind described nnclaim 3, inwhich movement of the piston infonedirection causes said annular members to .befdsposed in spaced relationship and movement of ther piston inthe oppositeA direction causes said annular A15 vdmembers` to be .disposed in telescoped relation.

Y5. Aiiuid storage apparatus, vcomprisingaconztainerhaving a side wall, a vertically-:movable `pistonin said container, a exiblefcurtain-like sealingm'eans arranged between said piston` and sidewall, said ysealing means collapsing andexftending with the -movement `of the piston,v anan- Vanular-shaped reinforcing member of Arigid- .con- ,struction projecting from one :side of the piston .at :theperpheral Ledge of tlier piston so as vto serve i25 xasaaback stop .for said piston sealing means1a second .annular-.shaped reinforcing member zof fdi-ierentldiameter from the annular-memberon rthe piston, land asupporting means for Vsaid sec- ,5 cond .annular member vhav-ing provision for V:per-

mittngsaid member -to move vertically relatively -toltheside Wallof the container, said secondfannular member telescoping with the `annular mem- -on thepiston during the stroke of the piston.

JOI-IN H. VVIGGINS.

REFERENCES CITED lThe.following references are of record in "the Qfile of 'this patent:

`UNITED STATES PATENTS 

